Process of making axle boxes



Jam 1 930. c. P. VAUCLAIN ET AL 1,745,199

PROCESS OF MAKING AXLE BOXES Filed April 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ME z-W Jan. 28, 1930. c. P; VAUCLAIN ET AL 1,745,199

PROCESS OF MAKING AXLE BOXE 5' Filed April 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES PARRY VAUCLAIN, OF DREXEL HILL, AND FRANK E. MERKLINGER, OF

PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA Application flied April 2,

The object of our invention is to make an axle box, particularly of the roller-bearing type of rolled shapes cut and bent into form and welded to make a unitary structure.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an axle box of the roller-bearing type made by our improved process;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the box;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rolled strip from which the body of the box is made;

Fig. 5 is a a perspective view of a blank pressed into shape to form one half of a box;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a rolled strip from which the pedestal ways and confining rings are formed;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a ring having pedestal ways out from the blank and punched; and

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the equalizer seat.

The body 1 of the box is made of two halfsections 2--2, shaped in the present instance to receive a roller-bearing of a standard design. The inner raceway of the roller-bearing is secured to an axle and the outer raceway fits against a shoulder 3 on the interior of the box. The outer end of the box is rounded as at 4 to provide a finish. The opening in the outer end of the box is closed by a lid secured to the box in any suitable manner.

The rear end of the box is open for the axle and its connected parts, and has a slight inner flange 5 and an outer flange 6. A dust ring of any type desired is secured to the rear of the box.

The only finish necessary is a grinding finish on the two abutting surfaces of the sections 2-2, as well as the seat for the lid and for the dust ring.

The two sections 2 of the body 1 are each made from a rolled strip 2* having an upper and lower flanges 5 and 6 at one edge, the other edge P being curved as shown, and at the base of the curve 4? is a rib 8 which forms the inner shoulder for the roller-bearing.

The strip 2 is out into proper length and bent 1929. Serial No. 351,980.

to form the upper and lower halves 22 of the lOOX.

The two rings 77 are made from the rolled strip 7 a shown in Fig. 6. The two flanges 8--8 of the strip form the pedestal ways 88. The strip is cut into a given length and the opening 9 in each blank is punched to fit the body portion 1. g In the present instance the rear ring 7 is shaped to fit the back of the body portion of the box and is recessed to receive the flange 6 of the box, while the outer ring 7 is shaped to fit the rounded front end of the box. The two rings are spaced a given distance apart, and between the two rings is placed an equalizer seat 10 made of pressed metal, and at each side of the equalizer seat are chafing plates 11.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, they are welded together to make a unitary structure, doing away with bolts or other fastening means.

The two ring sections may be made from different rolled blanks if desired, where the contour of the ring sections differ to such an extent that the two rings cannot be made from a rolled strip of a particular section.

The ring sections not only form the pedestal guides 8-8 of the box but hold the two parts of the body of the box firmly together prior to being welded, and act also to reinforce the body of the box, after welding, which can be made of comparatively light material.

A box made by our improved method can 1 be economically made and is much lighter and stronger than a cast metal box.

The invention is particularly adapted for use as a roller-bearing car truck box, but it will be understood that it can be made as an ordinary axle box without departing from the essential features of the invention.

We claim:

1. The process of making axle boxes, said process consisting in rolling a metal strip,

in, and securing the several parts together by welding.

2. The process of making axle boxes, said process consisting in making two rolled strips of given contours, cutting one of said strips into given lengths to form blanks, bending the blanks to form half-sections of the body of the box, cutting the other strip into given lengths and punching the same to form ring blanks with pedestal guides at each side, forcing the ring blanks thus formed onto the body portion, and welding the parts to form an integral structure.

3. The process of making axle boxes, said process consisting in making two rolled strips of a given contour, cutting one of said strips into given lengths to form blanks, bending the blanks to form half-sections of the body of the box, cuttin the other strip into given lengths and punc ing the same to form ring blanks with pedestal guides at each side, forcing the ring blanks thus formed onto the body portion, placing an equalizer on the body portion between the ring section, and

25 Welding the parts to form an integral structure.

CHARLES PARRY VAUCLAIN. FRANK E. MERKLINGER. 

